As more workers prefer hybrid jobs, the threat of a sedentary lifestyle to their health continues to increase when they work from home. Time spent sitting and time in bed were longer when working from home, according to a 2023 study.
What’s more alarming is that global physical inactivity remained high, a 2026 Nature article warned. Globally, over 80% of adults did not fulfill the World Health Organization’s movement standards.
While there are still more studies needed to address inactivity, workers need to gain more physical activity and health benefits quickly through interval walking or the Japanese way of walking.
What is the Japanese way of walking?
The Japanese way of walking, also known as interval walking, improves heart rate and blood flow to the muscles, Brown University Health said. Originating from a 2007 study, the exercise method involving an alternate of slow and fast walking in three-minute intervals for a total of 30 minutes. The exercise can also help protect individuals from illnesses that can affect blood pressure and muscle strength, like hypertension and frailty.
The general rule is to start with slow walking or walking at your own pace for five to 10 minutes. Then begin with the 30-minute interval walking, which is an alternate three minutes of brisk walking with a heart rate of around 120 to 130 beats per minute and a three-minute walk with a heart rate of about 70 to 80 beats per minute. After finishing the interval walks, begin stretching and walking for five minutes as a cooldown.
The exercise may look easy, but there are a couple of important things to do, according to Ohio State’s health and discovery.
One mistake when doing interval walking is skipping warm-up and cool-down. Without this step, it could do more harm than good because it can raise the risk of muscle strain, stiffness, or elevated heart stress.
Physiotherapist Kieran Sheridan advised starting and ending with gentle walking and stretching for five to 10 minutes.
“It’s important not to overexert your pace and not to rush the steps. It could lead to fatigue, shortness of breath or injury,” said Sheridan, who also co-owns the largest physiotherapy supplies store in the UAE.
And finally, poor posture while walking could lead to back, hip, or knee pain, and this could reduce walking efficiency.
Sheridan recommends keeping your head up and relaxing your shoulders by keeping the core engaged.
“It’s important to keep your posture correct while walking, as some remote workers may not be observing proper posture after sitting for long hours. Interval walking could make up for it,” said Sheridan.
How workers can benefit from interval walking
Compared to on-site work arrangements, working from home diminishes minimal and slow active movements like taking a trip to the office cafeteria, walking to the office, finding your workmates’ desks, or eating lunch outside the office.
But these minimal movements can be replicated through the Japanese way of walking. Sheridan recommends this exercise for remote workers because it is very accessible with fewer tools.
“It’s pretty much better than 10,000 steps which were popularized a few years ago. This is easier to follow and quicker as well. Plus, you only need a Fitbit, smartwatch or any device that helps you detect your heart rate,” Sheridan said.
Getting more steps could also be difficult when working from home so interval walking could improve muscle strength and blood flow and increase physical activity, said Sheridan.
“Allotting 30 to 50 minutes of your time for interval walking can be more attainable than waiting to reach 10,000 steps when you can’t move too much because of your work,” Sheridan also noted.
A study published way back in 2019 showed that the 10,000 steps per day requirement has a limited scientific basis. It also revealed that women who only averaged 4,400 steps per day had lower mortality risk.
The Japanese interval walking, which continues to see an increase in online search interest, can also help with resistance to illness and injury, said Sheridan.
“Sitting for long periods is a threat to a worker’s health. They can be prone to accidents because of inactivity. With a sedentary lifestyle, their joints could also be affected because it can reduce natural lubrication. It can also cause stiffness in the hips, knees and lower back,” said Sheridan.
“For workers who can’t walk for 30 minutes, I advised splitting the time of interval walking into 10-minute increments. Best to do interval walking four times a week for best results,” added Sheridan.
In addition, Sheridan also mentioned that interval walking can benefit remote workers who are at risk of different health problems because the simple workout can help burn calories and improve metabolism.
“Starting early by being more physically active may also help these workers prevent more illnesses as they age. Some diseases that they can prevent are heart illnesses, diabetes and osteoporosis,” said Sheridan.
According to Forbes’ statistics, workers aged 24 to 35 are most likely to have a remote job. For this age group, AltaMed warned that this age group could be at risk of mental health issues, injuries and hypertension.
A study also showed that walking and increasing physical activity daily can improve “occupational mental wellbeing and productivity in this population.”
Interval walking is also perfect for remote workers having issues with insomnia or sleep problems. A study showed that the frequency of adherence to walking can improve sleep or create positive changes in sleep symptoms.
Why aging workers can benefit from walking
The workforce is also facing another dilemma, as more older people are getting employed. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of workers aged 65 and above has increased by 117% within 20 years. The workforce is also composed of people aged 75 years or older, and it has increased by 117%.
To help these workers to stay healthy, interval walking can alleviate health risks of old age such as Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis.
A study showed that interval walking benefits brain health because it enhances blood flow, which can result in lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
Japanese walking is easy and only needs comfortable shoes and a heart rate measurement device.
Steady walking and reaching targeted steps are not enough but interval walking can be more beneficial in improving brain health and blood flow. Japanese walking is also great for seniors and remote workers who are usually inactive.
However, just because it is easy, this popular interval walking still needs to be done correctly. To get the best results, follow the guidelines for interval walking such as proper posture and warm-ups.
Most of all, do research and consult a professional to understand the intensity of interval walking and how it can differ for each age group and body weight.
